Ephesians 1:2-3 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: _________ Unfortunately most Christians fail to rightly divide the Word of God, and so they actually interpret Ephesians 1:3 like this: Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all {physical} blessings in {Earthly} places in Christ: _________ God is not promising us physical, worldly blessings today! If believers would learn that then the Joel Osteens and Benny Hinns of the world would have to get a job. Believers in Christ ( if they have trusted in Christs work at the Cross for the payment of their sins!) would stop being conned by these salesmen that empty their bank accounts! Why is it that Christians consider God to be some Santa Clause type figure or some I Dream of Jeannie figure that comes to our commands any time we call? The grace of God is sufficient for us, or at least it should be! Speaking of a thorn in the flesh, notice what God told the apostle Paul. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ___________ Knowing that our home is in the heavenly places and that we stand complete before God IN CHRIST is the walk of faith for the believer! Walking in sight by physical healings and financial blessings is not our pattern for today. Notice where our affections need to be: Colossians 3:1-4 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. ________ Of course the Lord is not saying that being dead to the world we are to stop working, to stop taking care of our families, etc. To set our affections on things above is to walk in faith in the provisions that God has given us; the promise of already possessing ALL spiritual blessings IN HEAVENLY PLACES! We are to ALWAYS FOCUS ON THAT; not on our earthly circumstances which are mercurial at best! It also means to focus on labouring in faith, by love, being ambassadors for Christ, seeking to show our friends and relatives what the fellowship of the Mystery is! Ephesians 3:8-9 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the UNSEARCHABLE RICHES of Christ; 9 And to make ALL MEN SEE what is THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: _____ So then now he explains what it means to set our affections on things above and not on things on the earth in the following passage. Colossians 3:5-7 5 Mortify {put to death} therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. _______ Being focused on things of this earth is something that comes natural to us! Walking by faith in promises of heavenly glory that is not seen by us is NOT NATURAL to us. Its a growth process, indeed! But lets consider our pattern in the dispensation of grace, the apostle Paul. Notice this amazing statement that he made: Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. _____ Paul is not saying that he was crucified for anyones sins; no, he is saying that he is DEAD TO THIS WORLD, just like in Colossians 3 when he tells us to mortify our members! We as believers need to focus on our eternal abode in the Heavenly Places, where Christ sits! This reconciliation of the Heavenly Places is the main focus of the letters of Ephesians and Colossians. As believers in Christ in this dispensation of grace, we have a great privilege to make something known to the angelic realm, much of which is in rebellion to God. Notice: Ephesians 3:10-11 10 TO THE INTENT that now unto the principalities and powers IN HEAVENLY PLACES might be known BY THE CHURCH the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: ________ That is the purpose of the Body of Christ in the dispensation of Gods grace! The MANIFOLD WISDOM of God is not something that these fallen principalities and powers like to hear about or be reminded about! In fact, Satan and his fallen cohorts were SO TAKEN in by Gods manifold wisdom, they actually DECEIVED THEMSELVES when they crucified the Lord. Notice: 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in A MYSTERY, EVEN THE HIDDEN WISDOM, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. __________ Satan, the great deceiver of mankind, deceived himself and was made to be a fool by God Almighty! Had this creature known that God would make a new creature the Body of Christ, to be the means by which God would reconcile the Heavenly Places unto himself, then he would have used ALL OF HIS POWER TO PREVENT THE CRUCIFIXION! But now we have this Revelation of the Mystery which Christ gave to the apostle Paul, made known to us and THEM in the Heavenly Places. No small wonder that 98% of Christians are ignorant of this Mystery! Satan has used all of his power to put his finest men in the pulpit; that, to keep this Mystery from being understood by believers! Satan has also corrupted our Bibles! If you dont have a King James Bible, then terms like Revelation of the Mystery, dispensation of grace, and verses that speak of Paul being our only apostle for today are mysteriously mistranslated or butchered! No small wonder, for: 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for SATAN HIMSELF IS TRANSFORMED INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS ALSO BE TRANSFORMED as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. ________ So then Satan puts his finest men in the pulpits. Men that have been to HIS SEMINARIES! Men that seem very nice, men that are well spoken, men that look religious; men that are loved and revered by their congregations! LISTEN: men that DO NOT PREACH THE MYSTERY or preach PAULs distinct apostleship! Men that spend your Sundays preaching out of Matthew-John! Does your pastor understand this? Ask him someday (if you dare!). Ask him if he understands these verses. Matthew 10:5-7 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, GO NOT into the way of THE GENTILES, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But GO RATHER to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Romans 15:8 Now I {Paul from Christ} say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision { that is Israel! } for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: { those are the earthly promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the fathers!} ___________ Does he understand that Paul is our sent apostle today, and NOT Peter, James or John; and not even the ministry of Jesus when he offered the kingdom to Earth during his three year ministry? Romans 15:16 That I { Paul} should be the minister of Jesus Christ, to THE GENTILES ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Romans 11:13 For I {Paul} speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I AM the apostle of the Gentiles, I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE : _________ Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but EVERY MAN A LIAR; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 12:27:14 +0000
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